Page 151 of Fix You

As for Julianna, it was a surreal feeling that she held Maeve’s and my combined DNA the same way as our own children would one day. It was also wild to think that Callum and Caterina’s children and our children would be double cousins.

Cocking my head at Julianna in Maeve’s arms, I said, “Guess that means a ginger-haired baby is out of the picture for us one day, huh?”

“Unless by some miracle my genes overtake yours.”

“It could happen.”

“True. Look at my older brothers with their dark hair and blue eyes. Then you have Kellan and me with our green eyes and red hair.” She scrunched her nose in thought. “Well, I guess I should say strawberry blond hair for Kellan.”

“You know he wants nothing to do with any comparisons to being a ginger.”

With a giggle, she replied, “I can’t blame him. I don’t like being called that either.”

I dipped my head to nuzzle her neck. “Not even if I called you my sexy ginger?”

“Not even then.”

Pulling away from her neck, I bestowed a tender kiss on her lips. “You’re my beautiful ginger wife.”

Although a contented sigh escaped her mouth, she replied, “Nope. Still not happening.”

As I laughed, Julianna cooed up at us, her bow-shaped mouth curving into a smile. I couldn’t keep myself from bestowing a kiss on the top of her head full of dark curls.

Caterina swept into the room, her hands busy putting on a glittering pair of diamond earrings. She wore a delicate pink colored dress. One that was very similar in color to the one Maeve was wearing. It made me think of their green and red dresses at Christmas. I wondered if Orla had a hand in these as well.

“Thank you guys so much for watching her while I got ready.”

Maeve grinned. “It was our pleasure. It’s not often I get my hands on her, especially when Mam is around.”

Caterina laughed. “Yes, your mother tends to be a baby hog whenever she’s around.”

At that moment, Orla swept through the door with Callum on her heels. After staring at Julianna in Maeve’s arms, she swept her hands to her hips. “Why isn’t the wain dressed?”

“I was just waiting on Caterina,” Maeve replied.

With a huff, Orla said, “It’s time for us to be at the church.”

Callum rolled his eyes as he came over to take Julianna from Maeve. At the sight of her father, Julianna squealed and kicked her legs. Callum instantly melted before peppering her face with kisses.

Giving me a pointed look, he replied, “It’ll only take a second to get her into theKavanaughbaptismal gown.”

Before we’d flown to Sicily, we’d all had a good-natured argument about which family gown Julianna should wear. Maeve had even argued that Callum and Caterina should buy a new dress to represent the merging of the families.

“I still say since she has an Italian name, she should be wearing the Neretti gown,” I teasingly protested.

Caterina nudged me. “Julianna is a Kavanaugh first and foremost, so she will be wearing the Kavanaugh gown,” she reminded me.

“Aye. Damn straight,” Callum replied.

Orla smacked the back of Callum’s head. “Don’t be cursing in the house of God.”

“It’s a nunnery, not a church,” Callum protested.

“Technically it’s a religious order,” Maeve argued. At Callum’s exasperated look, she grinned. “I should know since I lived here just like Caterina did.”

“Whatever the semantics, it’s still holy ground,” Orla shot back.

As Caterina had pointed out, we were currently at the Sacred Heart’s mission. Although I appreciated the baptism being held in Sicily, Caterina and Callum had shocked the hell out of me by holding it in the place where she’d been kidnapped by Callum. Their reasoning was it was where they’d first met.Caterina had also asked one of the nuns, Sister Lucia, to be Julianna’s other godmother.